Nadal did not play against Federer: he retired because of his knee

Nadal appeared on the training tracks about 10:00 (California time) and stopped a quarter of an hour later. He chatted with his team and made the decision to leave.

Rafa Nadal did everything possible to face Roger Federer in the semifinals of Indian Wells on Saturday, but finally could not do it. The Spaniard appeared on the training tracks of the tournament at 10:00, Californian time, without bandaging at the right knee, the one that bothered him on Friday in his quarterfinal match against Karen Khachanov. But it stopped heating about 15 minutes later, according to journalist Rob Koenig on Twitter, , who indicated in his post that Nadal spoke with his team for about 10 minutes. That was when he had to make the decision to leave.

The number two in the world noticed a puncture while trying to impose on the Russian player and had to suffer to finally take the victory. After the game, he said he hoped "to play against Federer": "Of course my goal and my idea is to be ready, although I can not guarantee how I'm going to wake up" .

The Spaniard got up wanting to try and in the Twitter account the BNP Paribas Open posted a video in which he was seen entering one of the tracks with two rackets and without protection in the affected area. Although the sensations were not good and Nadal did not face for the 39th time Federer, who will play this Sunday (23:30, # Vamos) the final against Thiem. Nor will be next week in the Masters 1000 of Miami, which could not go last year because of another injury. Depending on the extent of the ailment in the knee, the start of the land season (April 14 in Monte Carlo) could even be endangered.